No underground tunnel planned to ease San Francisco traffic
QWe feel forgotten. Since the Mercury News took over the San Mateo Times, many of us who still subscribe feel excluded. We enjoy your column but it is always about issues in Santa Clara County. Any chance of including us? — Denise Klick, San Bruno
AYou betcha, but hey I’m the guy who discovered the Father Serra rest stop savior, the likely toll lanes on Highway 101 south of San Francisco International Airport, the peeling paint on the Golden Gate Bridge and filled the potholes on 101 near South San Francisco. Stick with me, please.
QThe 19th Avenue to Golden Gate Bridge route in San Francisco is all sand dunes. Why can’t they tunnel under 19th to create a freeway? It would take a ton of traffic off 19th, and tunneling through sand using today’s equipment would be really straightforward. — Patrick Lamey, Los Gatos
AThis idea and others were debated in the 1940s-1960s, when the state and city were more interested in building out a freeway network through the city. When the freeway revolt (remember the Embarcadero) happened all these plans were abandoned, including some of the Highway 1 connections.
The assumption that any tunneling is easy in a built-up area overestimates the funds available to do this (billions). Right now San Francisco is looking at tunneling only as part of the transit improvements in the Park Merced area, and these too are challenging even though they cover a much shorter stretch.
QWhen we stopped at the Interstate 280 rest stop above Crystal Springs Reservoir the other day, we were shocked to find that the path leading up to the giant Father Serra statue was blocked with a locked gate. When did that happen? Is the closure going to be permanent? — Chuck Flagg, Morgan Hill
AThe gate is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., then closed after those hours to discourage illegal activity.
QI received a notice in the mail that I had been caught on camera running a red light about 2 miles from my house in San Mateo. The amount of the ticket is a staggering $541.
I was making a righthand turn at the light and I guess I didn’t fully stop, which they caught on camera. This seems less serious than running a red light at a large intersection, but nevertheless I rolled through the right turn knowing there wasn’t any traffic coming my way.
Is there anything I can do to contest this or get it reduced? Seems very expensive. — Mike Norwood, San Mateo
AIndeed it is. Call 650363-4300 to see the video and learn what your options are. Some courts will allow drivers to do volunteer work to reduce the fine.